Barcelona have given Neymar permission to miss training amid speculation of a world-record transfer to Paris St Germain.

Michael McGeady maintained his run of consistency yesterday to sweep into the final qualifying school of the European Tour and to move closer to a full Tour card.

Claire O’Reilly on why you should explore the Aragonese capital before everyone else catches on to its charms.

Shane Lowry dusted off an old putter, regained his touch around the greens and shot his lowest score of the year to put himself within two shots of Thomas Bjorn’s first-round lead at the 60th BMW PGA Championship yesterday.

Former Masters champion Charl Schwartzel, pictured below, held a share of the lead at the midway point of the South African Open thanks to a blistering front nine in his second round.

Dan Martin is still struggling to come to terms with the fact he is the 2013 Volta a Catalunya champion and only the second Irishman after Sean Kelly to win the race.

Ireland’s Dan Martin recorded one of the biggest achievements of his career yesterday by taking the queen stage of the Volta A Catalunya and also taking over the race leader’s yellow jersey.

Five Irish golfers, Waterville’s David Higgins, Ulstermen Chris Devlin and Gareth Shaw, Dubliner Niall Kearney and Yorkshire-born Simon Thornton, will be among a group of 150 hopefuls seeking 25 places on the 2013 European Tour when the final Tour School takes place over six days at the Catalunya complex near Barcelona beginning next Saturday.

Three Irish golfers, Peter O’Keeffe (Muskerry), Damian Mooney (Ballyliffin) and Mark Staunton (Ballinasloe), take part in the first European Tour School at the Roxburghe Hotel, Kelso, Scotland today.

DAVID HIGGINS suffered a huge reverse in his bid to win back his tour card when he crashed to a four over 74 in the third round of the European Tour Qualifying School finals at PGA Catalunya Resort.

THERE was joy in southern Spain last night for four Irishmen who battled their way through Stage 2 of the European Tour qualifying process and now go forward to the marathon six-round decider beginning at Catalunya, Girona, on Saturday.

THE MAJORITY of the 13-strong Irish contingent at the second stage of the European Tour School in Spain remain in contention for places in next week’s final Tour School.

MUNSTER golfers Cian McNamara, Aaron O’Callaghan and David Higgins yesterday played themselves into promising positions after the first day of the second qualifying stage of the European Tour School at four venues in Spain.

YOU could be forgiven for thinking the end of the competitive golf season had finally arrived now we are almost into the month of December.

Moody’s has warned that it may downgrade Spain’s credit rating over the coming three months because of the country’s weak economic growth prospects as well as ongoing funding pressures.

FOR three weeks from next Wednesday, Dunnes Stores is promoting its ‘Mediterranean food and wine festival’.

Biarritz and Perpignan have not only found kindred spirits across the border in Basque and Catalan Spain — they’ve tapped into a whole new business opportunity. Ian Moriarty explains

THE failure of any Irish player to win a card at the European Tour School suggests that the well that has provided this country with a steady stream of outstanding players for many years is finally running dry.

JORGE LORENZO’S imperious run of form looks like continuing after he was again fastest in practice for tomorrow’s MotoGP round in Catalunya.

WHILE the war of words between Limerick FC and the FAI intensified over the weekend, fresh doubts about the viability of a Thomond Park visit for Barcelona have emerged with the news that the Catalans are still reviewing their options for pre-season training.

IF there’s one thing that never fails to amaze me, it’s football fans’ eternal propensity to rebound from the very depths of heart-rending disillusionment.

NICE work, this professional golf!

Nicolas Roche, son of 1987 champion Stephen, will today become the first Irishman to compete in the Tour de France since Mark Scanlon took part in the world-famous race five years ago.

Lewis Hamilton was today left emotional after unveiling a special commemorative plaque in his honour.

Dane Soren Hansen is the only member of last year’s Ryder Cup team not to have qualified for next week’s Players Championship – golf’s unofficial fifth major - in Florida.

I LOVE playing West Ham — especially at their place as those good old Irons relish giving Frank Lampard a hard time for the perceived injustice he has done them.

MOBILE phone company 3, the new sponsors of the Irish Open, must be anxious at the lack of big-name foreign players who will compete in Baltray next month (May 14-17).

Reigning World Rally champion Sebastien Loeb dominated the French Rally to close in on title rival Marcus Gronholm at the top of the drivers’ standings.

Reigning world champion Sebastien Loeb won his third successive Rally Catalunya to cut championship leader Marcus Gronholm’s advantage to six points.

Chelsea look set to add to the signing of Oldham starlet Danny Philliskirk by landing Claudio Pizarro from Bayern Munich on a free transfer.

Chelsea’s England midfielder Frank Lampard looks set to pledge his future to the Barclays Premiership champions despite admitting it would be a dream to play in Spain.

IRELAND will have five players competing in this week’s European Tour School at San Roque in the south of Spain.

EAMONN BRADY, a former West of Ireland champion and a nephew of the celebrated Arsenal and Ireland footballer Liam Brady, represents Ireland’s best chance of reaching the European Tour School at San Roque next week as the field goes into the final round of the second pre-qualifier at Costa Ballena near Cadiz today.

FORMER Walker Cup player Noel Fox, fellow Dubliner Eamonn Brady and David Mortimer, the Galway-born Newlands club professional, battled back into contention for places in the European Tour School at San Roque next week with excellent rounds in yesterday’s second day of pre-qualifying at the Costa Ballena course near Cadiz in the south of Spain.

Barcelona have been given a maximum fine of 4,000 euros by the Spanish football association for the failure to keep fans under control during a match against Real Madrid in November 2002.

Thomas Gravesen’s agent believes Real Madrid are not prepared to wait until the summer to sign the Everton midfielder.

BARCELONA president Joan Laporta has dealt a blow to the hopes of Javier Saviola’s suitors by insisting the Argentina striker is not for sale.

Ryanair, the low fares airlines, has announced a new twice-daily route between London and Reus-Barcelona, Spain.

Manchester United’s chances of signing Barcelona right-back Carles Puyol were all but dashed last night.

WORLD champion Michael Schumacher gave Ferrari's new F2003-GA a dream start here yesterday as he emerged quickest from the opening qualifying session.

Finland’s Kimi Raikkonen is determined to maintain his perfect podium record this season by grabbing a top-three place at the Spanish Grand Prix for the first time this weekend.